Tablet Publishing for magazines debuts: a first look at apps from Condé Nast and Bonnier

Here is a first look at the new GQ and Popular Science apps for the iPad. Although screenshots really won’t give you an idea of what interactivity the Condé Nast and Bonnier magazines have incorporated into their tablet versions, one can see the layouts, menus, and the like.The GQ app appeared in the iTunes store last night and is a universal app — meaning that there is one listing for the app for both the iPhone and iPad. The app recognizes which version it needs to deliver. It means, as well, that if you own an iPhone, you would have access to the content on both devices with one purchase. You can find the app on iTunes here.

Condé Nast also has an iPad app for Epicurious. Cooking iPad apps and cook books customized for the iPad hold tremendous potential. Magazines like Saveur would be in a world of hurt competing with Condé Nast iPad products. But Saveur was brought into the Bonnier family a few years ago — and we expect great things from Bonnier on the iPad.

The first iPad app from Bonnier that has shown up in iTunes is from Popular Science — find it here. The app is specifically for the iPad as Bonnier has been slow to introduce mobile apps. The only iPhone I found using a search for “Bonnier” was for Islands — they may have more in there somewhere. The Popular Science app will set you back $4.99 which gives you the April issue. The magazine’s mechanism for purchasing future issues is show below-right.